Every New Jerseyan has heard of the Jersey Devil. The infamous cryptid (a creature whose existence has yet to be proven) is the stuff of legend. Often described as a winged biped with hooves, horns, and a horse-like face, accounts of its appearance vary. Many of us grew up hearing stories about the terrifying demons that spawn around campfires and under the sheets, but to us it’s just been some sort of dark fairy tale.
The story goes something like this… In 1735, Pine Barrer native Mother Leeds gave birth to her thirteenth child. Some say she was a witch and the child’s father was the devil himself. Born on a stormy night, the baby was anything but human. He killed the midwife and flew off into the woods. For years he tormented local children and farmers, killing livestock.
Researchers theorize that the story began as an attempt to discredit the Leeds family by political rivals or local Quakers who did not approve of their non-Quaker religious beliefs. Known as the Leeds Devil until the early 20th century, sightings were occasionally reported. Even Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother Joseph claimed to have seen the winged devil.
From January 16 to 23, New Jersey newspapers published hundreds of alleged encounters with the Jersey Devil across the state. Reports even ranged as far as Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania; the sketch shown above was published by a Philadelphia newspaper. Reports claimed the creature attacked a streetcar in Haddon Heights and a social club in Camden. Camden police are said to have fired at the creature, but were not hit.
People panicked and schools were closed along the Delaware River Valley. The Philadelphia Zoo even offered a $10,000 reward for the creature. While some refused to go to work, the guards went out to hunt the devil. But then it disappeared and life returned to normal.
What made everyone go crazy that week? Was it mass hysteria? Did the Jersey Devil really exist? Some believe the culprit was a Sand Hill Crane, a giant bird with a nasty temper. Whatever it was, history often forgets the week when the Jersey Devil was “real.” For more on New Jersey, read my previous post on 16 Urban Legends in the Garden State.
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